William Harvey
1578–1657 · English · Scientific Revolution
Known for: Discovered the circulation of blood through the body
William Harvey proved that blood circulates in a closed loop pumped by the heart—overturning 1,400 years of Galenic dogma. He spent years dissecting animals and performing careful experiments before publishing De Motu Cordis in 1628.
He was physician to Kings James I and Charles I, remaining loyal during the English Civil War. His discovery fundamentally changed medicine and founded modern physiology.
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